Bergen 1799

So I finally got to have a bit of a game- I am supposed to be on leave but couldn't go to Copenhagen as planned so...

Actually a bit of a disappointment - The game didn't really deliver. I had a few moments when I felt the  rules were a bit arbitrary- They work well for massive battles but I felt they didn't really deliver the narrative quality I was looking for here. Also the pictures are terrible - same camera as usual - maybe the peculiar light caused by the winter/spring weather we are experiencing. I plan to re-run the game/skip to the next battle in the series and do something a bit different.

so here are the highlights:

Here the Russians launch their attack along the edge of the dunes. Historically they set off too early; at least an hour before the proposed dawn jump off, so the dark picture works in our favour.

The defenders of Schoorl are brushed aside

And General Herman's column's plough on towards Bergen.

The British are now awake and moving at a random speed because of the rough terrain. They attack Krabbendam and drive out the defenders.

The advance is now general on the left.

The British press on with little opposition.

But the Batavians send up reinforcements!

Don's brigade - led by the glorious 17th assault Oud Karspel on the allied left.

The rest of Don's brigade frontally assault a Batavian battery - they make no headway but unbelievably suffer no casualties and this goes on for several rounds. Around this point in the game I became annoyed with the rules. Either nothing happened or whole units were getting wiped out in a single turn - it seemed to lack the to & fro that characterises this period of military history - there was little opportunity for a heroic narrative it was just 'do not, or die' it seemed - I tried 'Shako' for a turn - I like some of the ideas but the results were identical so I switched back to the devil I know - my highly adapted version of Volley and Bayonet.... 

On the allied right things are going badly - a Russian cannon has been destroyed in a counter battery exchange and the Russians are in danger of being thrown out of Bergen.

Vicious street fighting ensues.

The French move to outflank the Russians in Bergen.

They emerge from the gloom to envelop the hapless Russians (please note that their uniforms are much darker in natural light).

On the other side of the river the Batavians also move up.

... and just in time as the British finally take that artillery position.

The Russians are forced out of Bergen but that is probably to their advantage - can they escape or will that column hit them in the flank?

They pull back and attempt to rally - the whole force is pretty battered and it's British reserve has failed to take the bridge and link up with the main army.

The British and the Batavians finally make contact in significant numbers but by the rules of the scenario the battle should end here. A bit of a damp squib - nothing much has happened really and what fighting there was has been pretty inconclusive - the dice are probably broken. I am going to have my tea but might resume the battle later...